# Screw U2 , Bono! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 5, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183 "2003-12-05T17:22:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/21 "2003-12-06T01:04:19Z")
Hate him for everything after Zooropa, sure. But for helping out with awareness of AIDS? Shame on you, Ralph. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/22 "2003-12-06T01:10:50Z")
I think I have an inkling of what the OP was bugged about. Seems that Bush/congress has authorized a huge increase in spending towards the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Seems that for some reason, that $$ aren’t actually getting there yet, some amount of red tape buracracy. Seems that Bono made some statements about that after a recent concert for AIDS in South Africa (I think), in particular, one that gave a number of people who would die of AIDS in africa during the expected red-tape-pulling off amount of time. I figured all this out, 'cause Bono was on the TOday show and Katie was asking him about it, seeming to expect a scathing rebuke from Bono. HOwever, Bono backed away from his eariler outburst, saying he was frustrated by the delay 'cause he knew how desperate the situation was, but that he thought all Americans should be proud of Bush/Congress (naming both Dems and Reps) for supporting the effort, that he understood the delay, but when faced by the realities of the AIDS workers there, it was frustrating, knowing that for lack of funds children were dying. In particular he mentioned that AIDS workers were faced with the task of deciding which _very few_ folks would get the life saving drugs, and often ended up having to decide to save some one who was needed in the fight, vs., say, their own sister. anyhow. no cite, just what I recall from the show. re: rock stars/ agendas etc. do you also wish to scream about Christopher Reeves and all he’s done for research into spinal injuries? Mike Fox and Parkinsons? Frankly each of us have our own interests, pet causes and so on, if I could do more for mine, I would. And if that ‘more’ that I could do was trade in on my personal fame (of which there are no limits. well, at least in my small town), hell, why on earth not? In any event, Bono, in particular seems to have done his homework indeed on this subject. More power to him. And, most of all - whenever I see a rant like this I think - hell I would MUCH rather prefer rock stars, actors et all making big contributions, etc than corporations who may have a financial stake in the outcome. but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/23 "2003-12-06T01:57:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slu \* > \*\* I despise guys like Bono and Vedder. > > Just because you are in a band doesn’t make you anymore qualified to talk about politics than the guy who takes you order at Burger King; Bono just has a bigger microphone. > \*\* Noted non-musician (and for that matter, non-ex-baseball player and now non-Treasury Secretary) Paul O’Neill on Bono: > [@](#): > > [this is a guy who knows a lot about the issues of sacrifice and human beings not reaching their potential. He is knowledgeable about the economics of development.](http://www.fool.com/Specials/2002/02112700sp.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/24 "2003-12-06T06:01:37Z")
In fact, Bono got some [lessons](http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=1996) from Jeffery Sachs, an economist from Harvard, before starting his campaign for debt relief. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/25 "2003-12-06T07:16:33Z")
Yeah, shame on Bono for using his celebrity to further casues like AIDS prevention, starvation and third world debt when he SHOULD be using it for… whatever Christina Aguilera, Eminem, Justin Timber lake and Co are doing which is… uhh… nevermind. Oh, and shame on him for spending his own time, energy and money on it when he could be buying coke and blowjobs, or a new house and a 14:th car. Out of all the stupid rants in this forum, this has to take the fucking price. You’re ANGRY about someone volintarily devoting a big chunk of his life towards HELPING other PEOPLE? And complaining about him coming off as “I’m so pious and humble”, well guess what, maybe he is. Especially compared to you, asshole. Who’s getting pitted next? Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela? ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/26 "2003-12-06T14:53:12Z")
Fuck off **Ralph124c**. Your rant isn’t about any apparent hypocrisy on Bono’s behalf, it’s about your desire not to do anything. Bono’s donated money, time and effort to the AIDS cause. What have you done? Bitched about it on a message board. Go cry about your wallet elsewhere. > [@](#): > > _originally posted by slu_ > I guess I should start working harder on making my band successful so I can influence politics and national policy. Doesn’t that sound rediculous? The fact that it is true is even worse. You can influence politics and national policy all you want. Go out there and talk about what you want. If people want to listen to you, then good luck to you. If people don’t want to listen to you, that’s no reason to make Bono shut up. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/27 "2003-12-06T20:44:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ms Macphisto \* > \*\*In fact, Bono got some [lessons](http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=1996) from Jeffery Sachs, an economist from Harvard, before starting his campaign for debt relief. \*\* Well, yeah, OK, but other than that he’s been pretty smart. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/28 "2003-12-06T20:51:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ms Macphisto \* > \*\*In fact, Bono got some [lessons](http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=1996) from Jeffery Sachs, an economist from Harvard, before starting his campaign for debt relief. \*\* Well, yeah, OK, but other than that he’s been pretty smart. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/29 "2003-12-06T20:52:38Z")
Probably even smart enough that he only has to say things once at a time. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/30 "2003-12-06T21:52:32Z")
Music-wise, U2 lost me after _The Joshua Tree_. Good album, but the following albums just didn’t ring my asthetic bells. I find Bono to be a smart, compassionate, and above all, supremely humane man. The guy does WAY more than just spout a lot of touchy-feely stuff. His actions actually do help people who are powerless. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/31 "2003-12-06T23:45:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by unclviny \* > \*\*I don’t know (or care) about Bozo’s politics, but he just irritates the shit out of me “I’m so pious and humble, I wear a silly black hat and make lame-o pop music”, and that alleged guitar player SUCKS ASS!, the Fudge is a total hack! (check out David Rhodes on Peter Gabriel’s “shaking the tree”, David kicks the Fudges ass using the only lick that the Fudge knows). > And the fans really piss me off, psuedo intellectual, black clothes wearing idiots (and why do all of the girls use that same awful red hair color? > > unclviny (who used to have to put up with a lot of U2 fans) \*\* Now this just makes me itch. The two musicians/groups with the most CDs on my shelves are…U2 and Peter Gabriel. Having said that; Once Bono went to the overboard pretentiousness to (supposedly) mock pretentiousness (but in the end seeming to fall victim to it’s allure), I got pretty tired of the posing. And from now on **unclviny** , I’m not going to be able to listen to them without hearing “Ok Fudge, play the blues!”. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/32 "2003-12-07T00:40:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoneburg \* > Who’s getting pitted next? Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela? I think Mother Theresa has been pitted (something about contraception?) but I can’t find it now. (I agree with you otherwise…) ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/33 "2003-12-07T00:56:41Z")
so is **ralphy** ever going to come back and defend his OP??? ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/34 "2003-12-07T00:58:57Z")
Worst. OP. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/35 "2003-12-07T01:19:14Z")
I had thought for just a moment that this dimwitted OP was some kind of sarcastic joke. Too bad I was wrong. It’s actually serious. Seriously screwed-up. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183/36 "2003-12-07T03:07:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > \*\*Most moronic rant of the day. \*\* Par for the course for our resident dumbass. Did you notice his GD thread about “learning psychic abilities”? Guy doesn’t have enough brain cells to fill a county jail. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > **Not only did he get Helms to pay attention to the AIDS crisis, but he made Jesse CRY.** I could make Jesse cry, but it would involve a taser. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-u2-bono/217183.md?page=1)